


Blinded by the Light

by SprungGeoduck



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: Gen, Nuzlocke Challenge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-07-05 05:14:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15856920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SprungGeoduck/pseuds/SprungGeoduck
Summary: A Pokemon X Nuzlocke - the story of a girl in over her head





	1. Beautiful Now + Unbelievable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Let's live tonight like fireflies  
> And one by one light up the sky  
> We disappear and pass the crown  
> You're beautiful, you're beautiful"
> 
> \- Zedd, "Beautiful Now"
> 
>  
> 
> "It's unbelievable, this is as good as it gets  
> It's unbelievable, don't know what's gonna happen next  
> It's unbelievable, you haven't seen nothing yet  
> It's unbelievable, it's unbelievable"
> 
> \- Owl City ft. Hanson, "Unbelievable"

**SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME WITH TEAM FLARE!**

 

For the second time, Team Flare is inviting YOU to embark on a grand adventure around the beautiful Kalos region! The Young Blogger Program, immensely successful in its first run two years ago, is back again, offering anyone between the ages of 18 and 22 the chance to work for Team Flare. Follow in the footsteps of our previous winners, the now internationally renowned Alexa Bernard and Valerie Zhang! You will gain valuable experience in many fields and potentially earn express entry into a strong career in one of the company’s many branches. The opportunity to help create a better tomorrow is within your grasp! As before, entrants will be chosen by an essay competition. The theme is  **A Beautiful World.** We at Team Flare eagerly await your entry!

  
  
  


**A Beautiful World, by Luka Martin**

 

My name is Luka Martin. I grew up in Orre, and for the first twelve years of my life, I only knew a region ravaged by war and ruled by a malevolent dictator. You couldn’t blame me for finding it hard to see anything beautiful, but for those twelve years, I clung to shards of beauty in my dirty, messy, ugly home.

 

I first saw Agate Village when I was six years old, and it was the first time I had ever seen a place that was truly beautiful. My father had scrounged up enough money from battles at the Pyrite Colosseum to take my mother and I on a little vacation. As we pounded out the miles in Dad’s car, I watched the vast, unforgiving desert slowly give way to green grass and rolling hills. I was stunned. I had known that it had all existed, but seeing it for myself was life-affirming. My mother heard me giggling to myself in the back seat and turned to face me. I’d never seen her smile wider.

 

The air was different in Agate. Pyrite choked you. The power stations - that never seemed to supply very much electricity - churned out black smoke regardless, and ragged old cars rumbled through the streets, their exhaust fumes suffocating unfortunate pedestrians. In Agate, I felt like I could really breathe.

 

Everything about the town seemed friendlier. It had somehow escaped the ravages of war that blighted the rest of the region. Old people walked with their Pokemon, which was strange to me. I flinched when I saw a Mightyena, my mind conjuring images of the brutal police dogs that patrolled Pyrite before I saw the kindly old woman standing behind it. We paid a visit to the shrine to Celebi, a mythical Pokemon that many believed to be the guardian of the town. All of this was novel to six-year-old me. I trusted certain Pokemon - mostly my father’s battling partners - but the ideas of living together with and even worshipping Pokemon made me a bit giddy. It felt like a better way to live. I begged my parents to let me stay in Agate.

 

I didn’t see it again for six years.

 

When I was twelve, a Pokemon Trainer named Wes Colton unearthed the secrets behind the terrorist organisation known as Cipher, and their links to Emmanuel Es Cade. The dictator was toppled within weeks, but his downfall left Orre in disarray. He might not have been a very good leader, but at least he had been someone at the reins. The governments of the world seemed reluctant to come to Orre’s aid - we were still a bit of a laughing stock on the world stage - but non-governmental figures had no such qualms. Donations poured in from companies like Silph Co, the Devon Corporation, and Team Flare - companies I’d never heard of because my family could never afford their products.

 

I wouldn’t be writing this if I didn’t remember the effect Team Flare had on my life. A memory that’s burned into my mind is watching Lysandra Brodeur on TV, pledging a vast sum of money to the people of Orre. I’d never trusted people on TV before. They never seemed to say anything nice. Lysandra wasn’t like that. She was kind and bright and promised us a better future. Anyone over the age of eighteen could apply for their Phoenix Bond, a then-princely sum of eight hundred dollars. My parents got theirs, and they used the money to take me to Agate again.

 

If Agate Village had been beautiful when I was six, it was radiant when I was twelve. Wes Colton had used the Celebi shrine to purify Shadow Pokemon for his crusade against Cipher, bringing fame and fortune to the town. New businesses had cropped up everywhere and more people were moving in, making the town pulse with vibrant energy. The waterfalls shimmered under the summer sun, and flowers bloomed between the rustic houses. My mother handed me fifty dollars and told me to buy myself something nice. I’d never felt so alive. I found myself in a small dress shop, run by an old woman with braided hair. Her dress was the simplest of any in the shop, and her face was wrinkled by time, but there was something beautiful about her. Later, after what happened, I decided that it was her soul.

 

She gave me a little chuckle - I was certainly an amusing sight, a tiny girl dressed in cheap clothes, gazing in awe at dresses for people far bigger than me. The woman led me past racks of dresses that burst with colour, into a corner where she kept the ones for children. I thought they all looked incredible, but I was in a green mood from all the grass outside, so I picked a soft green one with white accents. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever owned. I would have worn that dress everywhere, but I was so afraid of messing it up. It usually hung in my closet, waiting for a particularly special occasion. I outgrew it before long, but I could never bring myself to throw it away.

 

In the six years since I bought that dress, I’ve watched Orre rebuild. Pyrite, my hometown, became a nice place to live. The old power stations got shut down, their choking fumes replaced with the gentle hum of wind turbines. The cars left the streets - the city became largely pedestrianised as Pokemon became more popular. I got to visit more parts of the region as my father earned more money; Gateon Port became another favourite of mine. Wherever I went, I always got the sense of a place that was trying to be the best it could be, to change the way the world thought of it, to transform itself.

 

That, I think, is truly beautiful.

  
  


* * *

 

 

**Phone Conversation: Luka and Alexa**

 

L: Hello? Who’s this?

 

A: Hi, Luka. My name’s Alexa Bernard. You might have heard of me.

 

L: Alexa Bernard the… investigative journalist, the former Flare - no way. No friggin’ way! Does this mean - 

 

A: Congratulations, Luka. Welcome to Team Flare.

 

L: Oh my… oh my god. This is just… thank you! Thank you so much! This is… no way. This is insane. I never in a million years thought I’d get in. Kinda… freaking out right now, like… damn.

 

A: Oh, I feel you. Believe me, I was just as excited when I won my Flare job. I suppose I should fill you in, shouldn’t I?

 

L: Yeah…

 

A: Well, you fly out to Lumiose City in two weeks -

 

L: I’ve never been on an airplane before! Never even freakin’ - left Orre!

 

A: Believe me, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Free drinks are a boon, but they only make an eleven-hour flight slightly less unbearable. You’ll get there, meet a Flare employee, and get driven to Santalune City - that’s where your adventure starts. You’ll meet the other winner there - she’s a Kalos native, no need for a flight for her. Valerie’s probably handling her right now.

 

L: Valerie… Zhang? The fashion designer?

 

A: Most people think of her as a gym leader these days; funny that you’d go for fashion designer first.

 

L: I’m… kind of a fashion nerd.

 

A: You’ll love Kalos then, girl! We’ve got the best clothes in the world! I have to admit, I’m not a hyper-fashionista like Valerie is, but a journalist does have to keep her eye on the latest trends. I’ll be overseeing your Flare-mandated wardrobe upgrade at some point, so be ready for that.

 

L: Whoa. I get one of those?

 

A: A young blogger like you has to be on top of fashion, of course. God, I was a disaster before Flare got ahold of me.

 

L: Well, I… um, I read a lot of fashion magazines and stuff, don’t actually have a lot of clothes, heh. Still kinda… shocked. This is all happening, you know? Like… I’m going to  _ Kalos.  _ To work for  _ Team Flare.  _ This is nuts! I can’t believe it!

 

A: You’ll do great, don’t worry. You’ve definitely got the enthusiasm you need!

 

L: ...Thanks. I… appreciate it.

 

A: You sound like you’re gonna be great at this, Luka. I think I’ll be very happy as your mentor.

 

L: Mentor? What?

 

A: Of course! Wouldn’t want you being chucked in at the deep end without any sort of help - Valerie and I pulled a few strings to make sure that wouldn’t happen. If there’s anything you need, just call me. I like to think I know my stuff when it comes to Flare. I’m very excited to be helping you out.

 

L: That’s - that’s awesome, thank you so much!

 

A: Oh, it’s no problem! See you in Kalos!

 

L: See you!

  
  


_ Two Weeks Later _

  
  


**Ignition**

 

Hello, everyone! My name is Luka Martin, and I am now running an official Team Flare blog! It’s kind of wild, but here we are anyway. Welcome to Firelight! I should probably introduce myself.

 

_ [A photo of a girl, taken from the chest up. She has dark skin and large brown eyes. Her face is round and youthful, framed by very thick, very curly black hair.] _

 

First off, that’s me! I hail from Pyrite Town, Orre. Needless to say, Kalos has been a big change for me - I'm incredibly excited to be here. I’m eighteen years old, fresh out of high school and eager to see what I can do here. I’m still in mild disbelief that I’m actually doing this, but life’s like that sometimes! I am honoured that Team Flare chose me to receive this incredible opportunity.

 

_ [A photo of a towering section of wall. Restored turrets and ramparts adorn the top of the wall, and it casts an imposing shadow.] _

 

I’ve only been in Kalos for a couple of days,, but I’m already blown away by this stunning region. As soon as I arrived, it started taking my breath away. Things aren’t necessarily bigger in Kalos than they are in Orre, but they’re grander. Back home, you’d never have a city with beautifully preserved medieval walls, so the fortifications around Lumiose City were amazing to see. I didn’t get to stay in Lumiose for long, although I’ll hopefully be back there soon! I’m now in Santalune City to start my adventure! When I arrived here, I had the pleasure of meeting my fellow blogger, Serena Beaumont.

 

_ [A photo of a sharp-faced, fair-skinned girl. She has green eyes and neat, straight honey-blonde hair. Her lips form a wry smile.] _

 

Serena will be travelling alongside me on my journey through Kalos, and running Flrelight’s sister blog, Le Nouveau Rouge! She’s a local, so she’s a lot more experienced with Kalos than I am. She’s going to have a very different outlook on the things we both see, so I encourage you to go and check her stuff out!

 

_ [A photo of a massive fountain, surrounded by tourists. Stone Milotic heads tower over the crowds, spouting water into the shimmering pool below.] _

 

_ [A photo of a tall, gnarled tree in the middle of a park. Pidgey and Fletchling roost in its branches, and Burmy dangle from it. Many other Pokemon surround its base, along with their trainers.] _

 

_ [A photo of a medieval stone bridge spanning a sparkling river. Several small boats, canoes and kayaks navigate the river, dodging Water-type Pokemon.] _

 

Everything in Kalos is so beautiful that I think it’ll stick in my memory forever, but I feel compelled to take a million pictures nonetheless. These are just a few of the incredible places I saw on my first day in Santalune. My first day! There’s still so much more in and around the city that I need to see and do!

 

_ [A photo of a Fennekin. He is curled up on top of a table, sound asleep.] _

 

Speaking of Pokemon, here’s mine! Team Flare helped me through the paperwork for my trainer’s licence before I arrived in Kalos, so I could jump right in and pick a starter once I got here. His name is Ruby, and he is the cutest little thing! Serena was worried he’d set everything on fire - she picked Froakie for a reason. Fortunately, my dad raised me around his battling Pokemon, so I know my way around a Fire-type.

 

A Fennekin will eat store-bought Pokemon food, but it doesn’t yet have the psychic powers it needs to keep its internal flame burning without fuel, so it also needs small twigs and sticks in its diet. I’m planning on heading out to Santalune Forest to get some authentic stuff for Ruby. I’d also like to catch some more Pokemon - the Gym here in town might be Bug-type, but dual-types exist, and I’m not hedging my bets on beating my first Gym Leader with only my starter.

 

I really can’t express my gratitude towards Team Flare enough. They chose me to run this blog, and they’re sponsoring my journey around the region. In all my eighteen years, I’ve never had an opportunity like this. I feel like I’m on top of the world. I am so excited to be bringing you guys content on this blog over the course of the summer. See you!

 

  * Luka <3



  
  


From: mtruffaut@teamflare.org

To: lmartin@teamflare.org

Subject: RE: First post

 

Miss Martin,

 

I’m sure you’ve been welcomed enough to Team Flare, but allow me to introduce myself. My name is Marie. I will be supervising the editing and moderation of your blog during your time with the company. Please be aware that my supervisors and I have high expectations of you, and that repeated mistakes will not be tolerated. I trust that your work for the company will be of good quality.

 

I have reviewed this first post and deemed it suitable for uploading. However, in the future, longer content updates would be preferable, especially considering the quantity of activities planned for your itinerary.

 

This post presented an air of humility and wonder, traits that are sure to endear readers to you. If you continue to provide this perspective on Kalos, then I believe you may find success.

 

Sincerely,

Marie

  
  


**Luka’s Diary - Entry 1**

 

I didn’t have any friends in Kalos when I got here, and I still don’t. Thanks for nothing, Serena Beaumont.

 

I suppose I shouldn’t complain. I’ll try and shake her for a bit tomorrow so I can explore on my own and take in some more of Kalos, but the fact that I’ll have to travel with her most of the time - I’m complaining again, but it might get a bit tiring unless she figures out how to be nice to me.

 

I was so incredibly excited to come here. Flare gave me two weeks’ notice, so I had time to prepare myself, physically and emotionally. In between picking out outfits - what kind of Flare employee would I be if I didn’t look amazing all the time? - I exercised a lot. I’m not unfit by any means, but I figured adventuring around Kalos was going to be physically demanding.

 

I arrived in Kalos early in the morning after an eleven-hour flight from Orre. Flare, because they are gods on Earth, put me up in business class, which was certainly an unfair place to be for my first-ever plane flight. The ginger ale flowed freely, though, and I got to watch four movies I’d never seen before, so I wasn’t complaining. I wore a nice dress and heels, because by God, I was gonna look good arriving in Lumiose City.

 

The journey was pretty fun, but it was long, and by the time my Flare handler dropped me at a hotel in Santalune City - temporary accommodation, I’m at the Pokemon Centre now that I have my trainer licence - I was more than ready to kick my shoes off and get some rest.

 

This, of course, is when I met Serena.

 

My first impression of her was that she was utterly gorgeous. Perfect, flowing honey blonde hair, piercing green eyes, a fantastic outfit. I thought that hanging out with this girl for a summer was going to be life-changing.

 

Then she spoke.

 

“So, you’re supposed to be my colleague?”

 

And she just… said it in the snarkiest, most passive-aggressive tone you can possibly imagine. It hurt my soul! I wanted to like her. It’s going to be a pain not liking her if I have to hang out with her all the time. I even have to pretend to like her for my blog!

 

And you know what? She KEPT GOING! After our handlers had left, she practically interrogated me, interested in finding out who I was and what the hell I was doing in her presence. I tried my hardest to be nice, which only seemed to tame her a little. It was a bit depressing to come all the way to Kalos for the job of a lifetime, only to be told immediately that I didn’t deserve it.

 

Ah, well. I’m heading into Santalune Forest to catch some Pokemon tomorrow. I don’t think she’s really the forest-y type.

 

I’m sure she has other strengths.

 


	2. Good Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Yes I can, doubt better leave, I'm running with this plan  
> Pull me, grab me, crabs in the bucket can't have me  
> I'll be the president one day, January first"
> 
> \- Flo Rida, "Good Feeling"

**Adding Fuel**

 

Hello, and welcome back to Firelight! Immediate side note - saying “welcome back” feels weird. Like, this is the second time I’m doing this. This isn’t a one-off. This is  **real** . I gushed last time about how I was blown away by all this, but I feel like it’s still relevant. Anyway, I am Luka, and I have been doing Pokemon Trainer things!

 

_ [A photo of Luka. She is leaning against a tree, lit by scattered patches of light filtering down through the forest canopy. Her hair is styled in braids that form into a bun. She is wearing a ruffled coral pink sleeveless top, a light blue knee-length pleated skirt, and brown ankle boots. A messenger bag is slung over her shoulder, and a pair of sunglasses rests on top of her head. A necklace strung with colourful beads hangs around her neck, and she has three bracelets on her left wrist.] _

 

Venturing into a forest to catch Pokemon doesn’t mean you can’t look fantastic in the process, so I picked out a comfortable but stylish look for my little adventure. Serena, looking equally fabulous - check out her blog for some A+ outfits - went off to explore the well-trodden Trainer path of Route 22, while I delved into the depths of Santalune Forest. Route 3, the path leading from the city to the forest, was littered with young trainers itching to challenge a “grown-up” like me. A few of them were surprised when I only had Ruby instead of a team of fully-evolved Pokemon! Orre might be a rough place to grow up, but I swear I don’t look  _ that  _ hardened.

 

Something that really impressed me about these kids - and it’s something I’ve noticed about Kalos as a whole - is that they’re all bilingual. Most of them started talking to me in rapid Kalosian, but switched to near-flawless English after I’d told them, usually in a mangled manner, that I didn’t speak their language very well. It’s probably something I should work on, but if everyone speaks English so well then it almost feels redundant.

 

I like forests. There aren’t many in Orre; the few we have are clustered in the north, but I always enjoy visiting them. It’s such a different experience from the rest of the region. While the deserts that occupy most of the region are oddly serene, with their vast expanses and lack of disturbances, forests buzz with life and energy. They’re kind of like big cities in that way - I suppose they’re nature’s equivalent! I adore that kind of place; they make me feel so much more alive.

 

_ [A photo of a forest’s interior. The light is scattered, dappling large trees in yellow. A dirt path winds through the trees, sparsely populated with trainers. The nests of Bug and Flying-type Pokemon can be seen nestled within the tree branches.] _

 

The path through the forest is well-trodden - it’s a popular place for new trainers starting in Santalune to visit, due to the variety of Pokemon on offer. Santalune in itself is a really popular place for trainers to start their journeys, so during the day, the forest is full of people trying to catch something. There are designated catching hot spots, but they’re so crowded most of the time that they aren’t worth it. I am small and nimble, so I wormed my way into some tighter, more secret spots and managed to catch not one, but  _ three  _ Pokemon!

 

_ [A photo of three Pokemon, all situated around an ornate fountain. A Pikachu sits poised on all fours on the edge of the pool, a Burmy hangs lazily from a stone outcrop, and a Pidgey perches on one of the water-spewing stone heads, looking down at the Pikachu.] _

 

Those three little bundles of joy are the new members of my team: Amber the Pidgey, Citrine the Pikachu and Spinel the Burmy. Having one Pokemon felt amazing; having four feels unreal. The three newcomers have a bit of a kooky origin story too - they came as an ecological package deal. Citrine is the glue holding the three of them together; he’s the strongest, so he kept their little corner of the forest safe from intruders. He gave Ruby a solid shock when we found him! There I was, watching my Fennekin twitch as the world’s angriest Pikachu stared me down. He’d just been munching on twigs - he didn’t deserve a blast like that! I raised my hands and took a couple of steps backwards, trying not to trip over any roots. 

 

As the Pikachu started charging up another attack, a Burmy fell from the tree above it and thumped down on his back before rolling on to the ground. The Pikachu switched focus, glaring at the little Bug-type, who had shed a few of her leaves on the way down. Ruby had stopped twitching and was ready to set some stuff on fire, but I called him off. There was no need for him to intervene. Then, a Pidgey swooped down in a flurry of feathers and squawks. She screeched at her two companions, silencing them, then fluttered up to me. She gave me a little bird-shrug, as if to apologise for their actions, then motioned to the empty Poke Ball I was gripping in my hand. The Pikachu squeaked in protest, but a few murmurs from the Burmy and a quick chirp from the Pidgey changed his mind. With that, I had somehow caught three new Pokemon. Incredible, isn’t it? I can’t wait to fill out my team.

 

_ [A promotional photo, showing a row of energy drink cans in numerous colours. Each can bears a logo resembling a lit match.] _

 

Before I leave you for today, I’d like to thank the sponsor of this post, Ignition Energy Drink. Ignition was developed by Team Flare researchers to fuel you up with the energy you need to get through any day. It’s perfect for me as a Pokemon trainer out in the wild. There are over a dozen flavours, with even more on the way - I really enjoy the fruity impact of Trop Kick. It’s available in all good convenience stores and supermarkets - or order online and use the discount code FIRELIGHT to get 10% off!

 

That’s all for now! I’m off to train my new Pokemon so I can take on the Santalune City Gym! See you then!

 

  * Luka <3



  
  


From: mtruffaut@teamflare.org

To: lmartin@teamflare.org

Subject: RE: New Pokemon!

 

Miss Martin,

 

Thank you for following the directives assigned to you by Team Flare. The Ignition product placement and continued cross-promotion of Miss Beaumont’s blog are exactly what was asked of you. The story about how you caught your new Pokemon will likely resonate with audiences, furthering your recognition.

 

I am still having to remove small grammatical errors and add paragraph breaks in some places. While I recognise that we are in the early stages of your time at Flare, it would be appreciated if you could be more vigilant towards these things yourself.

 

Sincerely,

Marie

  
  


**Luka’s Diary - Entry 2**

 

Serena - yes, I know, I won’t shut up about her - doesn’t like the Pokemon Centre very much. Sure, she’ll visit when her Pokemon are worn down, and she’s got a room where she keeps her stuff, but she really prefers being out in town.

 

I don’t see what’s so bad about the place. In fact, I think it’s really cool. We have them in Orre, but the popularity of Pokemon training there is nothing compared to what it’s like In Kalos. The Centre here is huge - Santalune is a hotspot for rookie trainers, so there’s a lot of people who need to be served. It was amazing seeing so many kids and teenagers with Pokemon; in Orre, training is a strictly adult pastime. It’s only been a year since the second Shadow Pokemon crisis, so people there are still a bit wary of trainers. For the first time in my life, having a love of Pokemon didn’t seem like a bad thing! Having a Pikachu was certainly a boon for my popularity - like, y’all don’t realise how popular Pikachu is among little kids. The cartoon’s still super popular after a thousand episodes, and it shows. I got A LOT of trade offers for him! My other Pokemon were less popular; there were a hundred kids with Pidgeys, and most of them didn’t know what a Burmy was. The ones who did told me Spinel wasn’t worth training. What do they know? She’s gonna be great. I love her.

 

Serena’s Pokemon aren’t nearly as nice as mine. Her Fletchling is kinda twitchy, and her Riolu does not seem to get along with her AT ALL. My dad told me once that Riolu and Lucario can sense human emotions and form empathic links with their trainers. Maybe it can tell that she’s not a very nice person.

 

I can hear them in the room next door. The walls are thin. Serena’s mad. I don’t think she means it. She just needs a bit more experience with Pokemon.

 

I wonder if she’s throwing shoes. Seems like the type of thing she’d do.

  
  


**Text Conversation: Luka and Serena**

 

L: you doing alright? uncooperative mons?

 

S: Why do you care?

 

L: I don’t like it when Pokemon are unhappy

 

S: They’re fine. They just need to learn a bit of discipline

 

L: alright. if you say so

 

S: Pokemon training runs in my blood. I can handle this myself

 

L: okay then

  
  


**Luka’s Diary - Continued**

 

I really want to help Serena. I really want to be her friend. It’s a shame that she makes it so difficult. I believe that every person has something good about them, and I just think that I haven’t found hers yet.

 

I hope I find it. It’s going to be a difficult summer if I don’t.

  
  


**Phone Conversation: Luka and Alexa**

 

L: Hello?

 

A: Luka, hi! Enjoying Kalos?

 

L: Um, I… I mean… yeah, yeah! It’s awesome!

 

A: You sure? Anything you need help with?

 

L: I mean, a friendlier co-worker would be nice.

 

A: Ha! Figured you might say that; Valerie says the lovely Miss Beaumont is a bit uncooperative. All the money in the world can’t buy a half-decent personality.

 

L: You know, I expected my mentor to be a bit more -

 

A: Professional? No, girl. I like you too much. You’re plucky. The underdog. I dig that. You don’t look like the ideal Flare employee, which, in my eyes, makes you  _ brilliant. _

 

L: Uhh… thanks?

 

A: You’re very welcome, Luka. How’s your team coming along?

 

L: It’s going well. Better than Serena’s, I think. She doesn’t seem to be handling her Pokemon very well.

 

A: Serves her right, I reckon.

 

L: You can’t just be rude about her behind her back, you know? I’m the one over here trying to be her friend. I could maybe use a little help with that. You know anything about her?

 

A: Well, she’s old-money Kalosian, if you couldn’t already tell from the everything about her. Supposedly a descendant of one of the Montgivre sisters.

 

L: Heh. She did say something about Pokemon training running in her blood.

 

A: ‘Course she would. Seems like the type. Anyway, like I said earlier, her parents are loaded. Make of that what you will.

 

L: That’s… sure, okay. Got it. Thanks. Anyway, my team?

 

A: Ah, sorry, got sidetracked, didn’t I? Saw your blog post - Pidgey, Pikachu and Burmy, right?

 

L: Yep! Gotta head out tomorrow and do some training, I hear Viola’s pretty scary for new trainers.

 

A: God, she’s still scaring little kids? Rude of her.

 

L: What do you mean?

 

A: She’s my little sister. I’m allowed to talk shit about _her_.

 

L: Makes sense, I guess. I wish I had a little sister. Seems like a fun thing to have.

 

A: Well, they can be entertaining, I suppose. Sometimes. Not when they get their Vivillon to use Infestation on your shoes.

 

L: Wow. Has she really done that?

 

A: Multiple times. A real prankster, she is. It leaks into her battle strategy too - lots of little tricks that’ll wear you down if you’re not careful. If I remember her first-badge team correctly, your Pikachu and Pidgey - damn it, we still haven’t talked about your team properly - should do well.

 

L: Thanks for the advice! My team’s pretty great. I like ‘em, but I’m hoping to catch a few more… y’know,  _ exotic  _ Pokemon as I travel.

 

A: Well, there’s all sorts on the route up to Lumiose if you know where to look. Budew, Ralts, Flabebe - lots of rare and wonderful things.

 

L: I’ll keep an eye out. Thanks!

 

A: You’re very welcome! I have to go. Tell my sister I said hi - and that she owes me a visit, I’d like to see her without having to stay in her apartment. I swear she messes up the place even more just for me.

 

L: Heh, I’ll pass it on. See you!

 

A: See you, Luka! Good luck!

  
  
  
****


	3. Let the Games Begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm gonna be a people person in a room of people-people  
> I'ma keep on running this shit, let the games begin"
> 
> \- AJR, "Let the Games Begin

**The Shutterbug**

 

Hello, and welcome back to Firelight! I am Luka, and I have had a very eventful day! I finally got a true taste of the excitement and joy that comes from being a Pokemon trainer, and I want to tell you all about it. Let’s get started!

 

_ [A photo of Luka. There is a wall of photographs of Bug-type Pokemon behind her at an angle, and she is looking up at a photo with her head cocked to one side. She wears a pink blouse with short sleeves, a floral maxi skirt, and white ballet flats. A white tote bag is slung over her shoulder.] _

 

Can’t have a good day without looking good! I feel like I owe it to a beautiful place like Santalune City as well. That photo was taken inside the Santalune Gym, where the Gym Leader, alongside her duties to the Pokemon League, is a photographer! The Gym building doubles as a photography school; Viola and her senior trainers teach there. I actually got to meet Viola before my Gym battle through one of these classes - I decided to attend one so I could sharpen my photography skills for this blog.

 

_ [A photo of a girl with sandy blonde hair and dark green eyes. She hangs upside-down from the ceiling, hooked into a climbing harness. Despite this, she is smiling and making a heart sign for the camera.] _

 

Viola Bernard is a little eccentric. At the beginning of the class, she asked someone to volunteer to take a special photo of her. I put myself forward in the interest of doing something cool for the blog. I’ve always had a soft spot for comic books, and Dewpider-Man is one of my favourite characters. When I asked Viola if she would mind hanging from the ceiling for my photo, she assured me that I wasn’t the first one to ever propose it. Apparently, being a Bug-type trainer means everyone makes that joke at some point. With the help of an assistant, she promptly strung herself up for me to photograph. Afterwards, she said she’d really enjoyed it, although in hindsight that might have been a side effect of all the blood going to her head. Either way, it was a really interesting and informative class, and a fun way to get to know Viola before I battled her. I took some awesome photos of my Pokemon too!

 

_ [A photo of Citrine. He is in midair, having jumped down from a ledge on to a table covered in slightly charred Pokemon toys. Arcs of electricity surge around him as he readies himself for a landing.] _

 

I call this one “Citrine: Ragnarok”. It took several attempts and some good timing to get it right, but Citrine was more than happy to give me a light show until I got the shot. He’s an energetic one, that’s for sure!

 

_ [A photo of Amber and Spinel, taken in a high-ceilinged room. Amber is flying with Spinel hanging from her talons. A few leaves have fallen from the Burmy’s cloak.] _

 

This is “Emergency Airlift”. Spinel has legs she can walk on, but they’re really tiny and not very useful for motion, especially when she’s all covered in leaves. She prefers to book a ticket on Amber Airlines. I thought Amber might be a bit of a reluctant passenger plane, but it seems like it’s something these two have done before.

 

Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures of Ruby. Viola didn’t feel comfortable having a relatively untrained Fire-type running rampant in her studio, and I saw where she was coming from. I figured Ruby might try to one-up Citrine somehow, probably in quite an incendiary fashion, and then I’d  _ really _ be in trouble. I assured her that she’d see enough of him in our Gym battle, and she just chuckled and smirked. I didn’t understand what that meant at the time. I learned soon enough.

 

I arrived at the Santalune Gym this morning expecting some kind of physical challenge that would stand between me and Viola. I was a bit confused when there was nothing of the sort! Instead, I entered the Gym proper and found myself in a long hallway, starkly lit by white lamps, lined with cobwebs that I hoped were fake and photos of fearsome Bug-types in menacing poses. If her intent was to psych me out, it worked. I took cautious steps down that hallway, still convinced that there might be some secret challenge I had to undertake, until I reached the end and pushed open a white door. I was bathed in natural light, and looked up to see a glass roof, with vegetation creeping across its metal supports. Trees lined the edges of the arena, with the nests of Bug-types nestled in their branches.

 

I was so busy looking up and around in awe that I didn’t notice Viola until she prodded me on the shoulder. She asked if I was impressed. I told her I’d never seen anything like it. The Colosseums in Orre are a bit stark by comparison. While there is something intimidatingly cool about their brutal architecture, they weren’t designed to be aesthetically pleasing like this place was. In Kalos, everything is beautiful, even their battle arenas!

 

_ [A photo of Viola’s arena. The ground alternates between grass and packed dirt, and there are gnarled roots, divots and lumps that break up the flat surface. A few small trees and shrubs serve as cover.] _

 

If the Santalune Gym is anything to go by, the arenas are also a bit more varied than the colosseums. It’s not just a flat battleground; there’s environmental elements that can help you or mess you up depending on how you battle. I was a little taken aback - I’d mostly been training my Pokemon in open fields and hadn’t expected anything like it. Viola decided that it would be best if we got things started before I completely lost my mind from awe.

 

_ [A photo of the battlefield. Citrine has perched himself on a root and started charging up an electrical attack, while a Surskit on the opposite side adopts a low stance.] _

 

Viola was chill with letting me take pictures of our battle, which makes this story way easier and more fun to tell. She led with Surskit, a Bug/Water type - I suddenly understood that little chuckle about Ruby at the photography class. I led with Citrine to counter her; I hadn't expected to be using him in a Bug gym, but I’d trained him anyway and he was really raring to go. Viola opened up with a Water Sport, which took me a little by surprise. The little bug produced more water than I thought possible, soaking the arena. Patches of dirt turned to mud and holes in the ground filled up with water. The grass shimmered with moisture, and little beads formed on the tree roots. Citrine leapt backwards, trying to avoid a soaking. Even I took a quick step back - I didn’t want my shoes to get ruined. More on that later, by the way.

 

I had a weird idea, and told Citrine to electrify the water. Viola gave me a shrug. In my defence, it sort of worked - the crackling, sparking water limited the Surskit’s movement and sent it skittering around, free for Citrine to pepper with quick, low-power Thunder Shocks. Viola ordered a Quick Attack, and her Surskit burst forward, striking Citrine square in the stomach. He reeled a little, I called for a Quick Attack of my own - at close range, having to charge up an Electric-type move would have been too risky. I pumped my fist as Citrine’s attack sent the Bug-type skittering into a tree root, then chose Thunder Shock as my finisher. With a blast of electricity, the little bug was out for the count. Round one had gone to me, and without much of a hitch! I was super excited. Viola seemed to be able to tell that I was feeling good - she gets kinda wordless when she battles, but she gave me a thumbs up before her face hardened again and she plucked another Poke Ball from her belt.

 

_ [A photo of a Vivillon, hovering above the battlefield. Its wings are adorned with an ornate pattern, but the illusion of elegance is broken by its fierce, narrowed eyes.] _

 

I had defeated her first Pokemon without too much trouble, but now it was time for her ace. Bug-types evolve quickly, so I figured it might be something evolved, but I didn’t expect a full-grown, four-foot-tall Vivillon to come out of her second Poke Ball! Citrine was a little puffed out, so I swapped in Amber. He grumbled a lot when I did this - I don’t think he liked the idea of his friend getting more glory. I patted him on the head and assured him that he’d get more chances to shine later. Amber seemed unperturbed.

 

Viola looked a little impatient while I was going through the various rituals required to get my Pokemon to play nice with each other. She barely broke her glare when she chose Infestation as her first move. Again, I was a bit shocked when the move went off! I had a vague idea of what it did, but seeing Amber getting pulled down by a swarm of bugs was horrifying. As Viola smirked at me, I fought through my nerves and told her to use Gust. Her wings struggled against the shifting black blanket that was slowly enveloping her, but she managed to pull one free and blast some of the bugs away with a gust of wind. Her feet were still tied to the ground, but with both wings free she was able to send more gusts slamming into the Vivillon. The butterfly tried to flutter out of the way, but the more wind lanced into its wings, the more difficult it was. Viola told it to close the distance and go for a Tackle, but on injured wings this was difficult. I called for one last Gust, and with a whoosh and a crack, it was over. The Vivillon fell to the ground and disappeared in a flash of light. Viola beckoned me towards her.

 

I… didn’t really think about my next decision. Filled with euphoria, I started bounding across the battlefield. I took about five steps before I realised that my once-pristine white flats and the hem of my skirt were splattered with mud! I cursed under my breath. Viola laughed; in hindsight, there was something pretty silly about it. I shrugged and strode the rest of the way over to her with a smile on my face - my shoes were a lost cause anyway.

 

Viola took the camera that hung around her neck in her hands, unscrewed the lens, and produced a badge from within. I couldn’t help but grin - if every Gym Leader is going to have party tricks like hers, I’m going to enjoy my Gym matches a lot! With that, I acquired the Bug Badge, my first in the Kalos League. It feels weird saying that - two months ago, I never would have dreamed of getting a Gym badge. Despite the steadily increasing popularity of Pokemon in Orre, there’s no official Gym circuit yet. My first Gym was a completely new and special experience, and I’ll treasure it forever. I can’t wait to challenge even more Gyms - I hear the leader in Lumiose City is a bit eccentric and  _ very _ strong. I can’t wait to meet him, and hopefully I’ll be able to tell you guys the story of a battle against him before long! I’ll see you all soon!

 

  * Luka <3



  
  


From:  [ mtruffaut@teamflare.org ](mailto:mtruffaut@teamflare.org)

To:  [ lmartin@teamflare.org ](mailto:lmartin@teamflare.org)

Subject: RE: Gym battle!

 

Miss Martin,

 

Thank you for your punctuality. This post is of the kind of quality I was expecting from you. Your stories have a certain charm to them, and the descriptions of action feel quick and authentic. I will pass this post on to my superiors, as I am sure they will be impressed.

 

Once Miss Beaumont has defeated Viola, the two of you are to make your way to Lumiose City. A meeting has been arranged with you, your mentors, and Lysandra Brodeur, to take place in two days’ time. This will be an opportunity to familiarise yourself with the people who you are intended to impress, and become more acquainted with the workings of Team Flare. Further details are attached below.

 

Sincerely,

Marie

  
  


**Phone Conversation: Luka and Alexa**

 

A: Hel-lo! How’s my Champ-to-be doing?

 

L: I don’t know - you must have the wrong girl!

 

A: You are too damn humble, Luka. Sounds like you made my sister happy though - trust me, you’re not the first to fall for the old muddy-field trick.

 

L: Those were pretty nice shoes, you know…

 

A: Oh, don’t worry; I can get you all the shoes you’ll ever need once you get to Lumiose. Do me a favour: don’t warn Serena. And take pictures! I want to see the look on her face when she ruins a pair of designer heels!

 

L: I mean…

 

A: Yeah, yeah, I shouldn’t be so callous, maybe. She doesn’t seem like the kind of girl who would take all this Trainer stuff in stride, you know?

 

L: Yeah. I guess.

 

A: Anyway, enough about her - how are you? I guess you weren’t too freaked out by Viola’s antics.

 

L: I have nine cousins. I’m used to having a bit of crazy in my family. Anyway, yeah, really excited about the whole Gym thing! I’m thinking about facing Clemont -

 

A: Don’t.

 

L: What?

 

A: I’m telling you: don’t. Clemont as your second badge is a bad idea. I’m always writing stories about his... exploits. He’s a wild card, an experimenter. Always seeing if he  _ can _ do things, rarely stops to think if he  _ should _ . Too young to know any better. He’s a brilliant battler, don’t get me wrong, just… too brilliant. Even for someone like you.

 

L: I heard he was eccentric, but… yeesh. Wonder what he’s like to talk to?

 

A: Don’t bother. He’s reclusive, doesn’t talk to people unless he has to. Prefers the company of machines. Anyway, you’ve got bigger fish to fry in the talking-to-people department. And by that, I mean Lysandra.

 

L: Oh, god. That’s gonna be something. I just… oh god, oh god - need to make a good first impression - what if she doesn’t like me - what do I even SAY -

 

A: Luka, calm down. Lysandra can be scary, but you’ll do fine. You just have to stay calm.

 

L: Yeah. Okay. Calm. Got it.

 

A: It’s not even a formal meeting, really. Valerie, Lysandra and I just want to get to know the two of you. Get a chance to properly figure out the girls we’ll be supporting this summer. It’s also an opportunity for you to put your best foot forward and show us what you’re made of. I doubt you’ll screw it up.

 

L: Do you… have any advice?

 

A: If you’re as charming in person as you are on your blog, you shouldn’t need any. Just be yourself!

 

L: Thanks, I guess. See you in Lumiose?

 

A: See you there! Can’t wait to meet you in person!

 

L: Okay. Bye.

  
  
  



	4. I Want It All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "In my youth, yeah, I was told  
> Happiness is bought and sold  
> Work until you're skin and bone  
> You'll be worth your weight in gold"
> 
> \- Parade of Lights, "I Want It All"

**Itinerary - Flare HQ Visit**

 

9:00 AM: Meet at entrance to HQ

 

9:15 AM: Clothes fitting

 

10:00 AM: Briefing with Alexa Bernard and Valerie Zhang

 

10:30 AM: Meeting with Lysandra Brodeur

 

12:00 PM: Lunch

 

1:00 PM: Headquarters tour

 

3:30 PM: Conclusion

 

Notes

  * Please stay with your handler at all times
  * Your handler will inform you when you may take photographs
  * Do not interact with other Team Flare employees unless you are explicitly told you may do so



  
  


**Inner Workings**

 

Hello, and welcome back to Firelight! I am Luka, and I have had a truly incredible day! It’s becoming a running theme of my time here. Of course, this has all been thanks to Team Flare, and today I got to see what makes that mighty institution tick.

 

I got to visit Flare HQ.

 

I was honestly a little shocked when they told me I’d be getting a full tour of the place, and that I’d be able to blog about it! Alexa Bernard told me today that I’d develop shock resistance after a while, but I don’t see that happening any time soon. Oh, yeah; I finally got to meet Alexa in person. She’s mentoring me on this whole blogging thing, and she’s really fun to be around!

 

I also got to meet Valerie Zhang - she’s Serena’s mentor, and kind of one of my idols. She’s  _ so cool.  _ Cool in this icy, refined way that’s really intriguing. For someone so physically… non-intimidating, she has quite the presence. Also, it’s really nice to know someone in this region who’s shorter than me (although her towering platform heels made up for some of the difference).

 

_ [A photo of Luka and Valerie. Luka’s hair is tied up in an ornate bun, while Valerie’s flows down her back in a ponytail. Both girls are wearing makeup, although Valerie’s is more extravagant than Luka’s. Valerie has her arm around Luka, and Luka’s eyes are lit up.] _

 

_ [A photo of Luka and Alexa. Alexa’s light brown hair is short and neatly cut, and she wears minimal makeup. A wry smile is spread across her lips, and she is pulling Luka closer to her with her arm.] _

 

Alexa wanted a photo with me too, of course - she reminded me that Valerie was  _ Serena’s  _ mentor. Ever since the two of them started blogging for Team Flare two years ago, they were massive inspirations for me. They were very different people, but both had things about them that just made them seem incredible. Just getting to meet them in person was an honour and a privilege. Getting to spend the better part of a day with them and pepper them with questions… life-changing. Wouldn’t trade it for anything.

 

Flare HQ is a majestic and wonderful place. You’d expect it to be some massive skyscraper in the middle of Lumiose, but it’s actually outside the city, a collection of sleek, modern low-rise buildings that looks more like a hyper-rich university campus. It’s unbelievably cool.

 

_ [A photo of a wide, smooth stone pathway. A median splits it in two, filled with plants and trees. Benches line the pathway, and smartly dressed Team Flare employees can be seen around the image. Alongside the pathway are various modern buildings built from glass and steel.] _

 

I was honestly blown away when I first saw all of this. I’d never seen anything like it in my life - that’s becoming a running theme. Strolling the wide paths of the HQ, wearing gorgeous clothes… I felt like I was really part of something. More than that, I felt like I could be a  **big** part of that something. It energised me. This was within the first five minutes of our tour!

 

_ [A photo of a large sushi platter. It is piled high with rolls, tempura, salmon and vegetables.] _

 

Before the tour started properly, we had lunch. I had the run of the food court and I wanted to try  **everything** , but I eventually settled on sushi. Yes, I know, eating sushi in Kalos,  sacrilegious  \- I saw the restaurant and it looked incredible. I think I’ve eaten sushi about three times in my life before today and I loved every one of those times, so I took my chance today. It was worth it! 

 

_ [A photo of a sleek, glass-fronted building. Through the windows, various pieces of art and design can be seen, spread across four levels.[ _

 

That’s the Flare Design Hub! All the clothes and other products that Team Flare produces - that’s where the magic happens. I was a bit shocked initially that so much seemed to be on display, but Alexa told me that the real work is done behind closed doors, away from prying eyes. The designs on display behind those massive glass windows are finished, intended as an inspiration to all Flare employees. They certainly got me excited - I saw a few pieces that I’ll be dreaming of wearing for a while!

 

_ [A photo of Luka, posing in front of a white wall. She is wearing a high-necked, sleeveless coral pink dress, a thin white belt, and white slingbacks. A white messenger bag is slung over her shoulder, and her hair is done up in two buns.] _

 

This stunning outfit was chosen for me by Valerie Zhang. I was stunned by how good I looked in it - I’d never felt so beautiful in my life. Serena also looked gorgeous, of course - check out her blog for her side of this story. Team Flare sure does know how to make a girl feel special!

 

_ [A photo of an ultra-modern building with a swooping, curving roof. Unlike the previous building, the walls are solid steel.] _

 

More gorgeous architecture! This is the Flare Technology Hub. These guys are a lot more secretive than their pals over at Design - I’m told that the tech they work on is unreal, and then I’m told nothing more because it’s all classified. Of course, Team Flare’s technological contributions are eventually revealed for all to see and use. From solar panels to spaceship parts, it all happens behind those walls.

 

Of course, there’s a place where all that design and technology is put on show, to serve as a reminder and an inspiration. The best stop on the tour, by far, was the Flare Showcase.

 

_ [A photo of a solid rocket booster, laid on its side. The long, white tube has an intimidating rocket exhaust on one end, and a curved nose cone on the other. A few people can be seen around the booster, dwarfed by its size.] _

 

That is a booster from the Helios 1 rocket, a collaborative effort between Team Flare and the Kalosian government. Team Flare has made big investments in space exploration over the past five years, and seeing an element of that in person was pretty incredible. Its size and evident power were weirdly intimidating but really awe-inspiring. I can’t pretend to understand how it all works, but it’s still amazing!

 

_ [A photo of a display of exquisite dresses. They are all adorned with vibrant colours and complex patterns. A simple, elegant red gown takes pride of place.] _

 

This is more my speed - Lysandra Brodeur’s first ever collection! If the rockets are the epitome of what Team Flare has become, then these dresses are a monument to where it all started. Fifteen years ago, the name Lysandra Brodeur didn’t mean anything to anyone, but these clothes were the beginning of a rapid rise that culminated in the Team Flare we see today.

 

_ [A photo of a shimmering tower. The tower is covered in solar panels and collectors, and bundles of wires run down the sides.] _

 

The most beautiful thing about the Showcase, and Flare HQ as a whole, is that the whole place is powered by clean solar energy. The Showcase’s power is drawn entirely from towers like these, while the HQ takes its power from the Kalos Power Plant in the Lumiose Badlands, a massive solar plant and another collaboration between Team Flare and the Kalosian government. I think it’s inspiring that a company that started out as a humble fashion house has gone on to cause so much change in the world.

 

Once again, a huge thanks to Team Flare for letting me and Serena have a guided tour of their HQ. This was a truly incredible opportunity and I hope I was able to pass on some of my awe and enjoyment to you. Next time, I’m headed into Lumiose City proper, to see what Kalos’ capital has to offer. See you!

 

  * Luka <3



  
  


From:  [ mtruffaut@teamflare.org ](mailto:mtruffaut@teamflare.org)

To:  [ lmartin@teamflare.org ](mailto:lmartin@teamflare.org)

Subject: RE: HQ visit

 

Miss Martin,

 

Thank you for your punctual completion of this post. I would advise you to do more things such as this in order to return to Team Flare’s favour after the incident that occurred during the HQ visit. To this end, I have attached some scripts for future promotion of Flare products. Please make use of them as soon as possible.

 

Sincerely,

Marie

  
  


**Luka’s Diary - Entry 3**

 

I wasn’t allowed to talk about a lot of the things that happened today. I may as well put them here, because I have a lot of feelings about them.

 

May as well start from the top. I at least got to talk about meeting Alexa and Valerie on my blog - we started the day with that - but then there was the clothes fitting. We went into a studio, where a large selection of clothes, shoes and accessories had been wheeled out for us. I’d just spent fifteen minutes getting to know Alexa, so I was pretty weirded out when I was paired up with Valerie for the fitting. I guess she’s the fashion expert and Flare thinks I’m some kind of fashion disaster. As it turned out, they weren’t entirely wrong.

 

Valerie led me away from Alexa and Serena, to a secluded spot where I was surrounded by more nice clothes than I had ever seen in my entire life. She said that she was under Flare’s orders to make me look good, and started by pulling a pair of four-inch heels off a shoe rack.

 

“Put these on,” she said, handing them to me. “I’m going to teach you how to walk in them. It’s a skill you’ll need.”

 

I already sort of knew how to walk in heels (or so I thought), but I wasn’t going to say no to elegance lessons from Valerie freaking Zhang, was I? I kicked off my kitten heels and slipped into the big stilettos. I took about three steps before Valerie told me my technique was all wrong. I realised that if I couldn’t even get that one thing right, I had a lot to learn if I was going to fit in at Flare. Valerie sighed and set to work tutoring me on how to walk like a supermodel. It was actually pretty fun! When we were done, she issued her next command.

 

“Time to get you dressed up. You need different shoes, those ones don’t actually look good on you, and your whole style isn’t quite… there yet.”

 

I was more than happy to oblige, of course! Getting a makeover from Valerie Zhang - I never would have even dreamed of it before I got accepted into Flare! Valerie told me we had half an hour to inject a modicum of style and elegance into me, so I kinda just sat there like a paper doll while she gave me clothes to put on. I thought I was pretty well-versed in fashion before today. Meeting Valerie changed my mind on that very quickly. If there’s anyone who can make you feel like you know nothing about clothes, it’s her. She said I would only need one good outfit for the day, so we got to work on narrowing down what worked and what didn’t. We quickly decided that I liked dresses and looked good in them, so Valerie set to work on finding one that was suitably formal for our meeting with Lysandra.

 

We had a long discussion about colours - I like blue, but Valerie quickly established that that was a no-no at Flare HQ. Purple was my next angle - halfway between blue and red - but she told me that purple was kind of her thing. We eventually settled on pink, although Valerie had to confer with Alexa to make sure she and Serena hadn’t made the same decision. Turns out Serena’s a red-and-black kind of girl. I figured she’d be popular with Lysandra.

 

I already freaked out about the dress Valerie picked for me on my blog. It was incredible, which makes the fact that it got completely ruined even more painful. Alexa told me that I’m still due for my full wardrobe upgrade, so hopefully I can get another one just like it. For the time being, though, I looked good enough to meet Lysandra Brodeur. This was basically the only way in which I was even slightly prepared for that meeting. Nevertheless, Alexa and Valerie led Serena and I towards the central building in the compound. As we passed through the automatic glass doors, Serena turned to me.

 

“Let me do the talking,” she remarked. “You’ll only mess things up.”

 

I was a bit insulted, but I figured she was probably right; I’d end up rambling endlessly or spilling my guts about something silly. I prepared to keep my mouth shut as we approached the office.

 

Lysandra Brodeur’s office was subtle from the outside. No windows facing out into the hallway, two simple wooden doors, and her name in a neutral grey font above them. It wasn’t what I had expected. We all sort of stared at the doors, wondering who was going to make the first move. I’d expected Valerie or Alexa to lead the way, but Alexa messed with her hair and looked intently at Valerie, while Valerie just stood there all stoic. Finally, Serena stepped forward, and in a rare moment of restraint, knocked. I’d expected her to bust in like the goddamn FBI, not gonna lie. That girl’s got confidence.

 

“Who is it?” said Lysandra. Her tone was chilly and sharp. Serena cleared her throat, but Alexa shushed her.

 

“Alexa Bernard,” she replied, quieter than usual. “I’ve got Valerie and the bloggers with me.”

 

There was a pause before Lysandra told us to come in. Alexa pushed the doors open, and just like that, I was face to face with Lysandra Brodeur.

 

She didn’t look at us. Her nose was buried in a dog-eared book. I couldn’t see the cover from across the office.

 

“What are you reading?” I asked. In that moment, it felt like the stupidest thing I had ever said. Serena glared daggers at me. Alexa raised an eyebrow. Valerie remained unperturbed. Thankfully, it worked out in the end.

 

Lysandra put down the book and looked at me. “I’m glad you asked, Luka. It’s  _ Charlie and the Chocolate Factory _ . I’ve always been a fan of Roald Dahl, you know?”

 

“I… didn’t, actually,” I muttered, ignoring Serena’s increasingly distressed looks. “Should I have?”

 

“Absolutely not,” she replied. “I like to keep my private life opaque. When you’re like me, it’s easier that way. Anyway, that’s besides the point. Dahl has always been an inspiration to me. There’s a quotation from  _ The Twits  _ that’s very important; I’d like you to keep it in mind. It says that a person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. If you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely. Now, this might sound ridiculous coming from someone who profits off outer beauty, but trust me: it’s the most important thing of all.”

 

Serena looked puzzled. I don’t know what she had been expecting from Lysandra, but it certainly hadn’t been that. We were told to take a seat, and I settled in to an armchair. Serena sat in the chair furthest away from me.

 

“Please excuse Luka’s manners,” she began, glaring at me once more before turning her gaze to Lysandra. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Brodeur. My name is Serena.”

 

She was so poised. It was like she’d been reading off a script, and Lysandra loved it. I didn’t want to be impolite and butt in, so I sat in silence for ten minutes while they got to know each other. Eventually, Serena ran out of things to say, and Lysandra turned to me with a smile.

 

“Terribly sorry, Luka,” she said. “I was expecting you to speak up. Shall we talk?”

 

I nodded. I didn’t really know what to talk about, so I hoped she’d lead the way.

 

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re beautiful?” she asked. I blushed furiously. I had no idea what her intentions were, but it was a heck of a thing to say!

 

I struggled for words. “I mean… I guess my parents do.”

 

“They don’t count,” Lysandra remarked. “Parental love is a strange and fickle thing. What I’m getting at is that nobody has ever really told you that. You simply don’t fit the mould. As an arbiter of fashion, I am in control of a terribly flawed machine, one that runs almost entirely on girls like Miss Beaumont here. That’s why I chose her, but it’s also why I chose you. Right now, you do not fit in. What I want is to see how you handle that. You’re a stranger in a strange world, Luka, and I’m interested to see how that pans out for you.”

 

She smiled again, and went on to ask me a little more about myself, but I never responded quite right. I was too shaken by what she’d told me. She liked that I didn’t fit in? Or did she? I don’t know. I still don’t know. What does she want from me?

 

I was left to mull this over for the rest of the day, and my mulling was going great until I ended up in a fountain.

 

We were coming to the end of the tour of Flare HQ. Somehow, Serena had managed to shake Alexa and Valerie, despite the fact that we were under strict orders to not do that. I don’t know why I followed her. I guess I thought I could convince her to come back somehow. I found her standing by an ornate fountain with a wicked grin on her face. I approached her.

 

Without a word, she grabbed me and shoved me into the fountain. As I fell, she lost her balance and came crashing in with me - or maybe that was all part of her plan. I pulled my head out of the water. It was freezing cold, my hair was a mess, and my dress was soaked. Before I could say anything, Serena started screaming for help. I saw Valerie rush towards us,

 

Serena jabbed a finger in my direction and hissed, “Her fault.”

 

My teeth were chattering and I was too shocked to speak, so I couldn’t do anything in response. While Serena pulled herself out of the water, Valerie grabbed me by the arm and dragged me out, launching into a tirade about how my behaviour wasn’t fitting of a Flare employee. I tried to explain that it wasn’t me who’d done it, but she wasn’t having any of it. This happened with a lot of people.

 

The tour was cut short after that. I got to see most of the things I wanted to see, but going home wet, cold, and in serious trouble because of something I didn’t do was really rough. I guess I’ll just have to put up with it. Supposed to be living the dream here, after all. Shouldn’t complain.

  
  


**Phone Conversation: Lysandra and Diantha**

 

D: Hello, Lysandra.

 

L: Diantha! It’s been too long.

 

D: It’s been as long as I wanted it to be.

 

L: ...I’m doing wonderfully, thanks for asking. How are you?

 

D: Well, busy. It’s that time of year when thousands of bright-eyed children go off to get their dreams crushed by my League - including a couple of your interns, if I’m not mistaken.

 

L: Ahh, yes, Serena and Luka! I got to meet them today, they’re wonderful young women. And most certainly not interns!

 

D: Sure they are - wait, Serena; what’s her last name?

 

L: Beaumont.

 

D:  _ [bursts into laughter[ _

 

L: What’s so funny?

 

D: I know her! I know her well, and I know that she is not the girl you want! God, after Valerie and Alexa, I thought you’d give me some more serious challengers!

 

L: What the hell are you talking about?

 

D: Oh, lord. Let me tell you, Serena Beaumont is the most pampered, spoiled little girl you’ll ever meet. She is not cut out to be a trainer - I don’t know what drove her to try and get out of her little rich-girl bubble, but the real world is going to chew her up and spit her out. Tell me about this Luka girl; give me  _ some _ faith in your choices.

 

L: I assure you that Serena is more than capable of handling herself. If anything, Luka’s the one I’m worried about. She’s soft. Perky, sure, lots of energy, but I don’t know if she’ll be able to take the hits the world throws at her.

 

D: We shall see. I’d like to meet her, get a sense of who she really is. It’d be nice to see if I have a serious challenger again. Maybe I’ll say a few words to Miss Beaumont while I’m at it. Get me their schedules; I’ve been meaning to visit Lumiose anyway.

 

L: I don’t want you interfering in this, Diantha.

 

D: Let’s not call it  _ interfering _ . That sounds too rude for my tastes. I’ll just be pushing your girls in the right direction.

 

L: Knowing you, you’ll do just the opposite. You’d be a horrible influence on them.

 

D: Like you’re any better.

 

L: You don’t understand; I’m trying to raise them into beautiful young women. I know you’ll screw that up somehow.

 

D: There’s… so much wrong with that statement.  _ Raising  _ them? I’ve known you were bored of your own son for years, but that’s just  _ weird _ . And beauty, beauty, beauty - your endless obsession with it continues to terrify me. I’m going to hang up before I pop a blood vessel, if you don’t mind.

 

L: Diantha, you little -

 

*click*

 

L: - bitch.

  
  
  
  



	5. Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Stand on up and take a bow  
> There's something there and it's showing  
> There's no need to look around  
> You're the best we got going"
> 
> \- Owl City, "Gold"

**Phone Conversation: Luka and Alexa**

 

L: Alexa, hi!

 

A: Hello, Luka. You sound… breathless.

 

L: Yeah, yeah, I guess I am! The coolest thing just happened! I have to tell you about it!

 

A: You want my approval to blog about it?

 

L: I mean, that’s half of it, I guess. Kinda just wanted someone to share it with too!

 

A: Okay. Hit me.

 

L: I caught a female Combee! I was just out on Route 4, minding my own business - I remember that you told me I might be able to catch something cool there, so I was looking around in the grass, and I saw this Combee and I scanned it with my Pokedex and it was a girl and I almost freaked out but I managed to catch her before I scared her away! Her name is Jade!

 

A: That’s… that’s fantastic, Luka! Do you mind if I call you back? I need to sort something out. I’ll be back as soon as I can.

 

L: Alright! See ya!

 

A: See you.

  
  


**Phone Conversation: Alexa and Lysandra**

 

A: Hi, boss.

 

L: Hello, Alexa.

 

A: We… may have a problem.

 

L: You sound like someone in one of Diantha’s movies. Be more specific, please.

 

A: Luka caught a female Combee.

 

L: And why did she feel the need to do that? Doesn’t she already have four perfectly good Pokemon?

 

A: I don’t know!  Point is, she has it now, even named the damn thing! I’m all for standing up for my girl, but her team is stacked now. What does Serena even have to balance that out? Sure, Froakie’s popular, but everyone and their mum has a Fletchling and we can’t keep pretending that her Riolu doesn’t hate her!

 

L: Calm down, Alexa. I have some ideas, some strings I can pull to make Serena’s team a bit more marketable. You distract Luka for a bit, get her doing something without her Pokemon. I need to talk to my husband.

 

A: On the case.

  
  


**Phone Conversation: Luka and Alexa**

 

L: Hi, Alexa!

 

A: Luka, hi. Listen, I know you’re excited about your new catch, but we need to put that on the back burner for a bit.

 

L: What? Why?

 

A: Nothing bad, trust me. Just need to run a few things by the higher-ups before you can officially announce it. It’ll be fine. Anyway, you are overdue for a wardrobe upgrade, my dear. Meet me at Team Flare’s flagship store in two hours - I’ll send you the address. See you then!

 

L: Alexa -

  
  


**Phone Conversation: Lysandra and Sycamore**

 

L: Hello, Augustine.

 

S: Hello to you too, my darling! This is a surprise. How are you?

 

L: I’m in a bit of a situation, and I need a favour, I have two young women with rather imbalanced teams of Pokemon. I know that you can rectify that.

 

S: I can’t just give Pokemon to people for free! There needs to be some… reasoning behind it.

 

L: Augustine, sometimes you don’t need a reason. Kindness is its own reward.

 

S: ...You’re right. Who are these lovely ladies? What do they need?

 

L: Their names are Luka and Serena. Luka is the reason we’re in this mess - she just caught a female Combee.

 

S: Ah, how wonderful -

 

L: No. Not wonderful. A pain in my behind. Now, I understand that it’s a very rare and special Pokemon, but that’s exactly the problem. Luka already has a plethora of popular team members - she’s got a  _ Pikachu,  _ for crying out loud! Oh, and a Pidgey - those are much more popular these days, aren’t they?

 

S: That was all me! A poll conducted after my discovery of Mega Pidgeot showed a 27% rise in the popularity of the line. Anyway, what does this Serena girl have?

 

L: A run-of-the-mill Fletchling and a Riolu that hates her guts.

 

S: Oh, dear. What’s an inexperienced trainer like herself doing with a Riolu?

 

L: God only knows. I suppose she thought she could handle it. Diantha tells me she’s a piece of work, but I have faith in her. Anyway, she needs a Pokemon. Luka does too, just so it looks fair, but Serena needs a better one.

 

S: I suppose that can be arranged. I’m sure they’d love to visit my lab!

 

L: It’d make a half-decent blog post. I’ll get word sent out. Prepare some Pokemon, please.

 

S: Right away! Love you!

 

L: Love you too.

  
  


**Luka’s Photos**

 

_ [A photo of Luka. She is sitting on a high stool with her legs crossed and her toes pointed. She is wearing a sleeveless white blouse with a large bow detail, a coral pink asymmetric skirt, and white kitten heels. She holds a white clutch bag in her lap.] _

 

Caption:

“I honestly didn’t know I could even look this pretty? Like, I look at this and I’m still amazed. I look very classy too. The shoes were actually really comfy for heels. Overall, gives me the vibe that I could spend a productive day at Flare HQ, but then go out for dinner and a movie with some gorgeous Kalosian girl without changing.”

 

_ [A photo of Luka. She has a wide smile on her face and her hands are clasped together. She is wearing a green dress with a white floral pattern, a short denim jacket, and white wedge sandals. Large hoop earrings hang from her ears.] _

 

Caption:

“I adore dresses like this. They have… sentimental value to me. And then the earrings, and the shoes… yesssssss. Alexa suggested that I add the jacket for a bit of contrast and also so I didn’t freeze to death whenever the wind picked up. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but now I really dig it.”

 

_ [A photo of Luka. She is posing with her hand on her chin. She is wearing a form-fitting burgundy dress with short sleeves and a thin black belt, accompanied by black stiletto pumps and a matching handbag.] _

 

Caption:

“Classy Luka! I don’t really see any situation where I would wear this, but I hope some come up! Very simple, makes me feel all elegant and Kalosian. The shoes are amazing too - they go with EVERYTHING. I’ll have to get used to being on my feet in them, but it’s gotta be done for Flare.”

 

_ [A photo of Luka. She is reclining on a bench with her feet up. She is wearing a pale pink long-sleeved blouse, pale blue jeans, and the same black pumps as in the last photo.] _

 

Caption:

“See what I mean when I say they go with everything? Simple, casual outfit, immediately jazzed up by gorgeous heels. I feel like they might be a little too fancy - HAH! Who am I kidding? There’s no such thing as too fancy here in Kalos! This is the land of wearing four-inch stilettos with casual clothes, and I love it. Alexa and I picked up so many more pieces that I’m sure I’ll be able to work into gorgeous outfits!”

  
  


From:  [ mtruffaut@teamflare.org ](mailto:mtruffaut@teamflare.org)

To:  [ lmartin@teamflare.org ](mailto:lmartin@teamflare.org)

Subject: Lumiose City experience

 

Miss Martin,

 

Tomorrow, Alexa Bernard is to take you on a guided tour of Lumiose City, for the purpose of chronicling it for your blog. Due to the developing situation with your Pokemon, I advise that you leave your Poke Balls at the Pokemon Centre for the day. Do not mention anything in relation to your team in the final post unless it is explicitly authorised by me. Your current situation is quite precarious, so hopefully you can understand Team Flare’s desire for caution.

 

Sincerely,

Marie

  
  


**Prismatic**

 

Hello, and welcome back to Firelight! I am Luka, and after my adventures at Team Flare HQ last time, I’m sure you’re all waiting for more! Well, I’m here to deliver, because today, I explored Lumiose City, and learned a whole lot about its story.

 

Let’s be real for a second: when people think Kalos, they think Lumiose. It’s a microcosm of everything that makes the region great: art, architecture, science, fashion, food - it’s all here! Funnily enough, though, this wasn’t always the case, as I learned today.

 

550 years ago, Lumiose City did not exist. For centuries, Kalos had been in an intermittent state of war. The capital of the region was Anistar City, up in the mountains. This made sense at the time, of course - it was the defensively superior choice. To this day, Anistar is Kalos’ second-largest city, and a place steeped in history, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Anyway, the plains in the centre of the region were reserved for minor defensive outposts. With the threat of attack always looming, building a city down there would have been tantamount to suicide for everyone involved. This all changed when Kalos and Unova signed the Treaty of Coumarine, ushering in a new era of peace for the region. With the spectre of war no longer cast over the people of Kalos, art and science stepped out of the darkness. Tired of rubbing shoulders with brash military types up in the mountains, the brilliant minds of this reformed region laid their eyes on the plains, seeing a blank slate where they could form a symbol of a new Kalos. They set to work on building a beacon that would show the world what the region could really be, and that beacon was Lumiose.

 

Five hundred years later, I walk the streets that those heroes of the region laid out, gazing up at the buildings they designed, marvelling at the mark they left on the world. For people like me, like Lysandra Brodeur, like everyone at Team Flare, that’s what we dream of. That’s why we come here, as if the energy and inspiration that was poured into this city will somehow flow into us. There’s no other place like it. Coming from Orre, a place so torn apart by the ravages of war, I find it inspiring. Within my lifetime, I’m going to get to see brilliant people from my region create shining stars just like Lumiose. I think pouring your heart and soul into something that will last beyond your years is incredibly beautiful. This is why I was so taken by the story of the Prism Tower.

 

_ [A photo of the Prism Tower. Its reflective surfaces shimmer and shine in the sunlight, and its sharp lines contrast against the classical buildings around it.] _

 

Some people say the Prism Tower is overrated. It’s always the same problems - the lines are too long, the viewing galleries are too cramped, the Pokemon battles in the Gym downstairs ruin the experience. Really, it just doesn’t live up to people’s romanticised expectations. It’s got a reputation, if you can call it that. I snapped a picture of it, then went to the place where the tower’s story is kept, the Musée Régine Durand. The museum takes its name from the visionary behind the tower, the woman widely considered to be one of the greatest figures in Kalosian history. It’s small and humble, and it takes it upon itself to tell her incredible story.

 

Régine Durand was a polymath, dabbling in everything from art to poetry to fashion, but at her core she was a physicist. She used her knowledge of science and the world to develop creations that would better humanity. Some of her most underrated contributions were to the world of construction - there’s an entire wing of the museum dedicated to the tools she designed. The museum building is one of many that wouldn’t have been possible without some of her inventions! She was known for being ahead of her time, envisioning things that simply weren’t possible with the technology of the day, but worked perfectly well in theory. The first-ever airplane was built based on principles and theories found in Durand’s notes; she had studied Flying-type Pokemon extensively, and some say she even built unpowered gliders to test her theories.

 

Her most visionary idea of all was respected and ridiculed in equal measure when she first debuted it. A glass tower a thousand feet tall, capable of illuminating the entire city, a physical beacon marking Lumiose’s place in the world. With the materials science and engineering techniques of the time, it was beyond impossible. Durand knew that she would not live to see it built, or even be close. Undeterred, she handed the plans to the Royal Society of Artifice, where they were kept safe for hundreds of years. The story of the tower was passed down after Durand’s death, becoming a sort of folk tale. Hundreds of years later, as a new millennium approached, the Kalosian government wanted a truly spectacular way to celebrate. Some prominent engineers pointed out that technology had advanced to the point where Durand’s mythic tower could actually be built. The plan was okayed, and over the next few years, the Prism Tower rose. Now, it shines. In just eighteen years, Régine Durand’s last gift has become synonymous with Lumiose City and Kalos as a whole.

 

I live for stories like that one. As I walked through the museum, I got the sense that I was looking at the handiwork of someone who could truly look beyond herself and work for the good of everyone. Some people are cynical; they say that the days of people like that are gone. I think there are still those kinds of people out there today. You just have to know where to look.

 

  * Luka <3



  
  


From:  [ mtruffaut@teamflare.org ](mailto:mtruffaut@teamflare.org)

To:  [ lmartin@teamflare.org ](mailto:lmartin@teamflare.org)

Subject: RE: Lumiose

 

Miss Martin,

 

This post, while short, is of the kind of quality I expect of you. Your focus on one particular story and your personal opinions on it provides a good window into your personality for your readers, while also allowing Miss Beaumont to provide a more overarching look at Lumiose City without content overlap occurring. You are still free to produce more content related to Lumiose, on the condition that it is approved by myself or Miss Bernard.

 

Sincerely,

Marie

  
  


**Phone Conversation: Diantha and Sycamore**

 

D: Hello, Augustine.

 

S: Ah, Diantha! How lovely to hear from you! I assure you that I’ve been handing out starter Pokemon to a steady stream of potential challengers!

 

D: Simply wonderful, Augustine. I’m interested in a couple of those challengers specifically. Are you familiar with the names Luka Martin and Serena Beaumont?

 

S: Ah, yes, they’re the girls Lysandra’s working with! Why your interest in them?

 

D: I believe them to have… varying levels of potential, and I’d like to see for myself if I’m right. Would they happen to be visiting your lab any time soon? I did hear they were in Lumiose.

 

S: Absolutely! Lysandra’s arranged for them to visit so I can... reward them with some more Pokemon!

 

D: Tch… alright. Send me the details of their visit.

 

S: Of course! I’m sure that two blossoming young Trainers like themselves would be delighted to meet the League Champion!

 

D: I’m sure they will be.

 

S: See you soon!

 

D: See you.


	6. Fiji Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "And I'd say "Hey, there is more to me than meets the eye  
> Let me be who I wanna be"  
> And I'd say "Hey, I'm an oddity and that's alright  
> Let me fly and follow my dreams""
> 
> \- Owl City, "Fiji Water"

**Phone Conversation: Luka and Alexa**

 

L: Hi, Alexa!

 

A: Hi, Luka. Listen, I’ve been delegated to give you the lowdown on things.

 

L: O...kay?

 

A: First things first: you need to keep your Combee - what was her name?

 

L: Jade, what’s the problem? There’s a problem, right?

 

A: No, no, not at all. You just… need to keep her under wraps for a little longer. Flare has a plan, trust me.

 

L: I… guess that’ll be okay. Feels a little bad to have to keep her a secret, but if it’s what Flare wants…

 

A: It’s alright. Anyway, I bring good news! You, my girl, are getting a new Pokemon today!

 

L: Wait, what? Flare wants me to keep Jade a secret but they’re giving me another ‘mon?

 

A: Look, don’t question it. It’ll be great. You and Serena will be visiting Professor Augustine Sycamore’s lab to receive starter Pokemon from the Kanto region!

 

L: We’re both getting another starter? And one not native to Kalos? Isn’t that a little unfair?

 

A: What did I bloody say? Don’t question it; Flare’s directive, not mine.

 

L: Alright. Do I get to pick?

 

A: Nope! Another Flare order. You’re getting the least popular Kanto starter for sixty-seven years running.

 

L: I get a Bulbasaur? Awesome! I need a Grass-type!

 

A: You’re being fantastic about this, I applaud you. Anyway, visit’s tomorrow, there’s an email in your inbox with more details. Serena will be handling the blogging, she’s supposed to be the clever one. You just have fun!

 

L: Okay! Thanks!

 

A: Bye!

 

L: Bye, Alexa!

  
  


**Serena’s Journal: Entry 1**

 

I felt the need to buy a new journal today. I had thought I wouldn’t need one for this summer, figured that my blog would allow me to chronicle any notable memories, but it turns out that some things just have to be kept secret.

 

The pesky little enigma that is Luka Martin continues to frustrate me. I don’t know how she did it, but she got Diantha bloody Moreau wrapped around her finger in about two minutes! Diantha Moreau! The woman who’s been a constant reminder that I’m not good enough for as long as I can remember!

 

I don’t even know how it happened. Presumably, either Lysandra or Professor Sycamore told her we’d be at the Professor’s lab today so that she could make a surprise appearance. We were at the Professor’s lab, of course, so we could be “rewarded” with incredibly rare Pokemon for free. I had received a Charmander - a scrappy little lady who I named Cleo, short for Cleopatra. Female starters are usually kept in captivity for breeding purposes; it’s very rare that they’re given to trainers. I suppose Flare wants me to have the popular Pokemon. Luka, on the other hand, received a Bulbasaur; a placid, thoroughly lazy ball of plant matter that she called Emerald. We were sent out to the lab’s vivarium to bond with our new Pokemon and introduce them to our existing teammates. As I looked out over the grassy expanse, I silently cursed my three-inch heels. Sycamore noticed me staring down at my feet. With a smile, he said:

 

“You know, Serena, I am rather relaxed about appropriate footwear around here - Lysandra would never visit otherwise - but are you sure you don’t want a change of shoes? I have a few pairs of boots lying around.”

 

I politely refused, internally recoiling at the idea of tarnishing my carefully selected outfit with a pair of clunky old work boots. Luka, having no such issues with her flat ankle boots, bounded off into the glass-roofed area. I’ve walked on grass in heels before, but I didn’t want to make an arse of myself. I tried to follow Luka as quickly as I could, but it was a bit tricky and I couldn’t quite keep pace with her. At one point, she turned around and shouted at me to watch out.

 

“What for?” I grumbled, pausing and crossing my arms.

 

“That patch in front of you is pretty muddy,” she replied, gesturing ahead of me. I looked down, and sure enough, my feet were about a foot from some murky brown patches. “I didn’t notice at first, got some muck on my boots. Wouldn’t want you to ruin those heels; they’re really cute.”

 

I nodded, and said a quick, quiet “thank you” that I hoped she wouldn’t hear. A loud, cheery “you’re welcome!” shocked me so much that I almost stumbled into the mud! I still don’t get it. Why is she so nice to me? It’s not like I reciprocate - the last time we were together I threw her in a fountain! I mean, she’s not a bad girl by any means - I just don’t want her stealing my thunder. Not that she’s… ever really done that.

 

Oh, dear.

  
  


**Phone Conversation: Luka and Serena**

 

S: ...Hi, Luka.

 

L: Serena, hi! You doing okay? You seemed kinda… rattled after Diantha left.

 

S: Thank you.

 

L: Um… okay?

 

S: I mean - thank you for caring. It’s… I appreciate it.

 

L: No problem! Any time. 

 

S: You’re not angry? After the way I’ve treated you?

 

L: It’s important to give people second chances. You’re giving me one, why shouldn’t I do the same? Can’t help but ask, though - why the sudden change of heart?

 

S: I realised something about you.

 

L: What’s that?

 

S: You’re not a threat to me. I read your blog sometimes to see what I’m up against, so to speak, and I see now that you’ve never tried to be better than me. You’re so ridiculously content with being  _ you.  _ I think I respect that now. I… don’t want to be your rival any more.

 

L: Awesome! You can be my friend.

 

S: F-f-friend? That’s awfully quick.

 

L: Oh my lord, you sound like I just asked you to marry me! Nothing hard about being friends. We can get coffee together, talk about shoes and our feelings.

 

S: Feelings might be a step too far. Shoes, though? Definitely. Did you… mean it when you said mine were cute earlier?

 

L: Why wouldn’t I? They’re the cutest. I’m a little jealous.

 

S: We work for the same company, Luka. They’re Flare shoes. We could go and get you a pair, no trouble at all.

 

L: Nah, it’s alright. Don’t wanna steal your thunder, you feel me?

 

S: Luka, I - I - oh my god. Alright! Next time I see you, you are going to wear your most gorgeous shoes, and I am going to compliment you on them until I am blue in the face!

 

L: I’d be pretty red in the face if you did that, you know what I mean?

 

S: Luka!

 

L: Hehehe - see you ‘round, friend.

 

S: S-s-ss-see you.

  
  


**Luka’s Diary: Entry 4**

 

A lot of good stuff happened today! I got a new Pokemon, Serena wants to be my friend now, I met a freaking League Champion! I mean, I do get the sense that this is all happening because I screwed up without knowing it, but that doesn’t matter anymore. Jade will get her time to shine, I’m sure. It’s Serena’s turn to blog about our adventures - hopefully she’ll put in a good word for me now that we’re friends. Nevertheless, I’m going to write about today, for posterity.

 

I got a phone call from Alexa, early in the morning. She informed me - on awfully short notice - that Serena and I were getting new Pokemon from Professor Augustine Sycamore. I was a bit confused - I’d caused problems by catching a Pokemon, and now we were being given more! Nevertheless, I dressed up for a visit to a Pokemon lab; jeans and flat boots for me. Serena ignored the whole “lab” thing and went for a very pretty ensemble. How could I blame her when she looked as good as she did? More on Serena later - something pretty cool has happened with her.

 

On a bright summer afternoon, Serena and I found ourselves outside the Sycamore Pokemon Lab. In stark contrast to Flare HQ, it’s a rustic old building in the middle of the city, with a large vivarium behind it as the only sign that Sycamore’s living in the twenty-first century. We didn’t have to wait outside for long before the Professor himself came out to greet us. He was dressed in a ragged old lab coat and his hair was unkempt. I could tell Serena was silently judging him. He led us inside. The lab was a strange, mazelike building, with Pokemon seemingly jumping out from behind every corner. I couldn’t help but wonder how a scientist could get any work done in a place like that. We must have gone up and down half a dozen flights of stairs before we reached his office! He ushered us over to a wooden Poke Ball stand on his desk. It was covered in intricate carvings, and held the balls in little wooden claws. Sycamore explained that it had been a gift from Professor Oak in the Kanto region - appropriate, considering the Pokemon we were receiving. We both knew the ball on the right was for show - it had been mandated beforehand that Serena was getting the Charmander, and I was getting the Bulbasaur. Still, we had to act like we’d chosen them of our own accord. I guess Flare wants me to look like I have bad taste. I think they don’t know what they’re talking about. Emerald’s a cutie!

 

After we’d introduced ourselves to our new Pokemon, Sycamore took us down to the vivarium so we could show them to our teams. I found a nice little spot near some plants, while Serena went to hang out in an area with some packed dirt, presumably so that Cleo - that’s her Charmander - wouldn’t set too much on fire. I had to keep Jade in her ball in case Serena started taking pictures, but Ruby, Amber, Citrine and Spinel got along great with Emerald, despite half of them having type advantage. In fairness, Emerald is super easy to get along with. He’s very relaxed, maybe a little too relaxed for a battler, but we’ll have to wait and see.

 

This is the part where Diantha Moreau, Champion of the Kalos Pokemon League, showed up. I had turned away from my own team for a second to watch Serena struggling with her Riolu when I heard a voice.

 

“Well, it looks like one of you knows what she’s doing.”

 

Serena suddenly turned very, very pale, dropped everything she was doing, and stood up. I turned to see a woman in a pristine white suit entering the vivarium. Sycamore briefly spoke, but she shushed him and he retreated back into the lab. It took me a second to recognise her, but yes, it was Diantha Moreau. I’d never seen Serena look so mortified - then again, I’d never seen her look anything other than smugly superior. She tried to seethe, but Diantha’s gaze seemed to crush her resolve.

 

“Hello, Serena,” she said. “Fancy seeing you here.”

 

I was so confused. Diantha KNEW Serena? I’ll have to ask her about that later.

 

“What are you doing here?” Serena hissed. I scooped Emerald up in my arms and gingerly approached the two of them. Diantha shifted her eyes away from Serena and towards me, her expression immediately softening.

 

“Ah, you must be Luka!” she remarked with a cheery smile. She offered her hand for me to shake, and I took it. 

 

“Good afternoon, Miss Moreau,” I replied, shifting into Professional Mode.

 

“Please, call me Diantha,” she replied. “It’s a pleasure to meet you - I’ve heard so much!”

 

Serena looked MORTIFIED. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. I saw her face reddening. I had no idea what I was doing wrong.

 

“Is she okay?” I asked, gesturing towards Serena.

 

“Oh, don’t worry about her,” Diantha said with a half-smile. “The two of us go way back. We’ll chat later - right now, I want to know about you.”

 

She led me away, tutting at Serena to stay put. She gawked at us as Diantha started a perfectly polite conversation, which I was more than happy to take her up on. The Champion asked me about my Pokemon - I told her how much I was enjoying my team, but I didn’t mention Jade; I know she and Lysandra are friends. She told me how lucky I was to receive a Kanto starter - apparently they’re very strong and battle-ready Pokemon. Of course, she said this as Emerald let out a massive yawn. I let the little guy fall asleep in my arms - he’s too cute.

 

I thought Diantha was lovely - that is, until she returned her attention to Serena. She sharply told me to leave the two of them alone, and I disappeared out of earshot - well, almost. Forgive me for being curious about what Diantha had to say to Serena! I didn’t hear specifics but it sounded… not good. I watched Serena retreat into herself as Diantha laid into her. The older woman raised her voice a lot more than she should have, her words spilling out in spits and snarls. I couldn’t help but feel bad for Serena - I didn’t know what her history with Diantha was, but nobody deserves to be blasted like that, especially not by someone so powerful. After Diantha left, Serena was uncharacteristically quiet. All she said was that she wanted to leave the lab, and I was obligated to follow her. At the Pokemon Centre, we retreated to our separate rooms, which is when she called me. I don’t understand why she couldn’t have just talked to me in person, but the call was great nonetheless. We’re friends now! I’m super excited!

 

I hope she’s doing okay. From what I overheard, Diantha said some really nasty things. I don’t know how to bring it up with her, but if there’s anything I can do to help, I’ll try it. She’s my friend now. She deserves it.

 

**Text Conversation: Luka and Serena**

 

L: you okay after the whole diantha thing?

 

S: No

 

L: wanna talk about it?

 

S: Not particularly

 

S: Thank you for asking, though

 

L: npnp. I’ll leave you to it

  
  


**A Fresh Start**

 

Hello! I am Serena, and this is Le Nouveau Rouge. Now, everyone knows that Lumiose City was built on the backs of brilliant minds, but today, Luka and I got to meet someone who’s a bit more.. Contemporary. I am, of course, referring to Professor Augustine Sycamore, the Kalos region’s official Pokemon Professor. Luka and I were invited to his lab today, where we each received a special Pokemon.

 

_ [A photo of a Charmander. She stands tall and proud, her tail flame blazing and her chest puffed out.] _

 

Meet Cleo. Hard as it is to believe, she’s a Charmander! And she’s mine! I was quite shocked when Professor Sycamore told us we’d be choosing starter Pokemon from the Kanto region. Now, I do know that Sal, my wonderful Fletchling, will evolve into a Fire/Flying type just like Cleo will, but Charizard and Talonflame fill very different roles, and many Trainers find it easier to specialise in certain types. Luka, on the other hand, decided to diversify her team.

 

_ [A photo of a Bulbasaur. He is curled up under a small plant, snoozing away, the petals of his bulb spread out to collect sunlight.] _

 

Her choice was Emerald; a Bulbasaur, and a rotund little fellow. He doesn’t quite have the same fighting spirit as Cleo, but Luka is confident in him nonetheless. I will admit, he’s very cute - and  _ speaking  _ of cute!

 

_ [A photo of Luka. She is leaning against a tree, cradling Emerald in her arms. She wears a simple black button-up shirt, dark blue jeans, and flat brown ankle boots. Her hair is tied up in a bun.] _

 

Get a load of this gorgeous utilitarian look! In hindsight, it was a bit silly of me to wear a skirt and three-inch heels to a Pokemon lab - Luka  _ owned  _ this outfit and didn’t have to worry about falling over in the grass! Not that I actually did anything of the sort, but it was a persistent worry. Despite my questionable sartorial choices, I had an amazing time in Sycamore’s lab.

 

_ [A photo of a large, grassy area, covered by a glass dome. There is a small copse of trees off to one side, and a river bisects the area. Many Pokemon can be seen poking out of various nooks and crannies.] _

 

The place where Luka and I spent most of our time - and where I got most of my good photos - was the vivarium. Professor Sycamore’s lab used to be just a building, adjacent to an old park. Often, his research with Pokemon would spill out into the park, to the point where most local residents acknowledged it as his. While today, he owns the park in its entirety and has put a glass roof over it, he still allows people to visit for free. It’s his belief that science is something that should be shared with everyone, not kept behind closed doors. I find that admirable.

 

Just a quick post for today - wanted to fill you all in on my new teammate before I go off to get ready for my battle with Lumiose City’s Gym Leader. That’s sure to be a tough fight, but I think I can handle it. See you soon!

 

  * Serena



  
  


From:  [ oneumann@teamflare.org ](mailto:oneumann@teamflare.org)

To:  [ sbeaumont@teamflare.org ](mailto:sbeaumont@teamflare.org)

Subject: RE: Sycamore’s lab

 

Miss Beaumont,

 

Thank you for getting this post to me. While I understand that you are busy with other matters, I do hope that the brevity of this post is not something you will repeat often. However, I do applaud your excellent efforts to feign friendship with Miss Martin. I understand that the two of you have differences, so Team Flare appreciates your ability to keep up appearances.

 

Sincerely,

Oliver

  
  


**Text Conversation: Luka and Serena**

 

_ Serena sent “fakingit.png” _

 

L: oh my god

 

S: Brilliant, isn’t it?

 

L: they don’t know any better, should we tell them?

 

S: Not now. This is hilarious. Cheered me up after the whole Diantha thing. Let it play out for a bit longer

 

L: if it’s making you feel better, then sure

 

L: saw your post btw. thanks for all the compliments!

 

S: No problem! Anything for a friend

 

L: you sure about taking on clemont tho? alexa says he’s really tough and you’re… not exactly stacked on type advantage

 

S: Relax, I’ll be fine. He’s a second-badge Electric leader - how hard can he be?

 

L: don’t jinx yourself

 

S: I just need something else to think about right now. Gym battle should work for that

 

L: gotcha. good luck!

 

S: Thanks!


End file.
